A Promising Path: Alex Roque's Journey at Central, the UW, and Beyond

Alex Roque speaks confidently about the ins and outs of the city. That’s surprising, perhaps, because she only arrived in Seattle six years ago from the Philippines, halfway through high school.

“I didn’t know the transit routes. I didn’t know what the SATs were. I didn’t know much about American colleges and universities.”

Fortunately, as she finished high school, Alex learned about Seattle Promise, the City-supported program of free tuition and wraparound supports at the Seattle Colleges. “My advisor, Sabrina Strong, guided me every step of the way, from financial aid applications to communicating with professors. That kind of hands-on, intentional guidance was invaluable for a kid like me.” 

Alex chose to attend Seattle Central and dove in headfirst. But soon the pandemic emerged, causing many students to lose heart and stop out. Not Alex. 

She challenged herself in the classroom, joined clubs, and earned a leadership role in student government, joining with fellow student leaders on creative ways to build connection between classmates. Together, they started drop-in online chatrooms and social media campaigns, even a Seattle Central app to keep students up to date on events and extracurriculars.

Then just as she was hitting her stride as a pandemic-era college student, Alex’s world was turned upside down when her father was diagnosed with cancer. Balancing coursework with caretaking and family responsibilities, along with the emotional toll, was incredibly challenging.

During that difficult period, Alex says it was her Seattle Promise advisors that helped get her through. “They gave so much care to my situation at home,” she recalls. “It gave me peace of mind. Not just to me, but to my entire family—to know that I could focus on what mattered and that my higher education was paid for. I’m genuinely, endlessly grateful for the program.”

With the extra support of Promise and the community she built around her, Alex flourished. She finished out her two years at Central strong, even giving the college’s Class of 2022 commencement address.

Then with the help of Path to UW, a partnership between Seattle Promise and the University of Washington, she transferred and ultimately earned her bachelor’s in Law, Societies and Justice. Along the way, she even made the prestigious Husky 100, an honor recognizing students making the most of their time at UW. In her profile she reflects humbly on her college experience, “all that I am – my skills, my dreams and my drive to fight for social justice – were formed by and for my community.”

While at the UW, Alex worked an internship with the City of Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, and now, as a graduate, she’s helping organize community involvement in big infrastructure projects as part of the firm Stepherson & Associates. After that, perhaps grad school. Wherever her path leads, she knows for sure that she wants a career centered around her community. “I want every family to have the kinds of opportunities that I’ve had thanks to Seattle Promise and the UW.”

>>> Learn more in this video about the Path to UW program for Seattle Promise students.